1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile system and, more specifically, to a facsimile apparatus which can be connected with an operation terminal (e.g., a personal computer) such that the facsimile apparatus and operation terminal can transmit and receive various types of data between each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional facsimile system which connects a personal computer with a facsimile apparatus by RS 232 C interface, a facsimile driver program is installed on the personal computer. The personal computer uses the facsimile apparatus as a facsimile modem. The personal computer can thus transmit image data to an external (or remote) facsimile or facsimile modem over a public telephone line.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-233040 relates to a facsimile apparatus which is connected to one or more personal computers by a LAN (Local Area Network). Each personal computer may access the facsimile apparatus via the LAN and use the facsimile apparatus as a facsimile server.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 4-265040, a facsimile apparatus is connected to one or more personal computers by a LAN interface. Each personal computer may use the facsimile apparatus as a gate-way device for communicating to another facsimile apparatus or facsimile modem.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 5-14576, a facsimile apparatus transmits maintenance information to an external terminal having a facsimile function, through a public telephone line.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-177995, a personal computer is capable of resetting or restoring data controlling the settings of an external terminal, through a public telephone line.
In such systems, it is possible to read image data from a document and transmit the image data to an external facsimile only if the public telephone line is not busy.
However, in these types of facsimile apparatuses or systems, a user must be physically present at the facsimile apparatus when the user needs to confirm the condition of the public telephone line (e.g., determine whether the telephone line is busy or not).
Furthermore, a user must be physically present at the facsimile apparatus, when the user needs to confirm and change and/or restore the facsimile settings which are stored in the memory of the facsimile apparatus.
Furthermore, a user must be physically present at the facsimile apparatus to receive a communication report or an error report generated be the facsimile apparatus.
Furthermore, a user must be physically present at the facsimile apparatus, for example, when the user needs to operate the facsimile apparatus to transmit a document.
In addition, many facsimile apparatuses include an energy savings mode in which a heater element used for printing a toner image is shut off when not printing. When a facsimile is received, the image data is stored and the heater element is turned on. When the temperature of the heater element reaches a predetermined temperature, the image data is read from memory and printed by the facsimile apparatus. However, this can be quite time consuming and annoying for the user of the facsimile apparatus.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile system in which functions of the facsimile apparatus can be performed by a remote operation of the facsimile apparatus from the terminal apparatus (e.g., from a personal computer).